KR20140031959A - Device for measuring distance using local wireless communication, portable device, and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device module and a terminal for measuring a distance using short-range wireless communications, and a distance measuring method using the same. By calculating the intensity and response time of a radio wave using Bluetooth, the distance between the terminal and the device module can be measured. To do so, the device module for measuring a distance using short-range wireless communications includes: a receiving unit which receives a first wireless signal for distance measurement including a distance measurement requesting message from an external device through short-range communications; a control unit which calculates the intensity value of the first wireless signal for distance measurement; and a transmitting unit which transmits the intensity value of the first wireless signal for distance measurement and a second wireless signal for distance measurement in response to the distance measurement requesting message. [Reference numerals] (110,230) Receiving unit; (120,220) Control unit; (130,210) Transmitting unit; (140) Position notification unit; (240) Counter unit; (250) Position display unit; (260) Input unit; (AA) Distance measurement requesting message; (BB) Distance measurement response message

Description

Device module for measuring distance using short-range wireless communication, terminal, and distance measuring method using same {{device for measuring distance using local wireless communication, portable device, and method}}

The present invention relates to a distance measuring device module, a terminal, and a distance measuring method using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a terminal and a device module by calculating the strength and response time of radio waves using a Bluetooth communication method. The present invention relates to measuring the distance between the liver.

In accordance with the recent trend of increasing the utilization of the short-range wireless communication method, a technique related to a distance measuring method between a terminal and a device module using the radio wave strength of Bluetooth has been disclosed in the following literature. This prior art has many problems in the distance measurement error because it considers only the intensity of the radio wave or only the reflection time returned from the obstacle.

Prior Art Document 1: Korea Patent Publication No. 10-0442367 (Distance measuring device using Bluetooth device) Prior Art Document 2: Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-0790084 (Distance measurement method and apparatus of Bluetooth terminal)

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and has an object of providing a more precise distance measurement by measuring the distance in consideration of the radio wave intensity and response time of Bluetooth compared to the prior art literature. .

However, the objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The above object of the present invention is a receiver for receiving a first distance measuring radio signal including a distance measurement request message from an external device by a short range wireless communication method, and a controller for calculating an intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal. And a transmitter configured to transmit an intensity value of the first distance measuring wireless signal and a second distance measuring wireless signal to an external device in response to the distance measuring request message. By providing a module.

In addition, the transmitting unit includes an antenna unit for radiating radio waves, the antenna unit includes at least one antenna of the directional antenna and the non-directional antenna, and at least a plurality of directional antennas are provided to correspond to the distance measurement request message of the external device By radiating to the external device is characterized in that the external device can calculate the distance and direction.

The apparatus may further include receiving a distance measurement request message from an external device a plurality of times and transmitting a strength value of the first distance measurement radio signal and a second distance measurement radio signal corresponding to the number of distance measurement request messages.

In addition, the user may be notified of the location of the device module by at least one of vibration, sound, and light emission according to a message transmitted from an external device.

In addition, the intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal first received from the receiving unit of the first distance measuring radio signal received from the receiving unit is characterized in that it is used.

Meanwhile, an object of the present invention is a transmitter for transmitting a first distance measuring radio signal including a distance measurement request message to an external device module by a short range wireless communication method, and an intensity value and a second distance of the first distance measuring radio signal. And a receiver configured to receive the measurement wireless signal from the device module in response to the distance measurement request message, and a controller configured to calculate a distance from the device module using the strength value of the wireless signal and the strength value of the second distance measurement wireless signal. It can be achieved by providing a distance measuring terminal using a short-range wireless communication, characterized in that.

The transmitter may transmit the distance measurement request message to the device module a plurality of times, and the controller may calculate an average value by averaging the intensity values of the first distance measuring radio signal and the intensity values of the second distance measuring radio signal. The distance from the device module is corrected by each average value corresponding to a plurality of times.

The apparatus may further include a counter configured to calculate a response time of the device module with respect to the distance measurement request message, and correct the distance value with the device module based on the response time value of the counter.

In addition, the second distance measuring radio wave signal received from the device module is characterized in that for using the intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal first received from the device module.

The apparatus may further include a display unit configured to display a calculation distance with the device module or to display a relative position of the device module.

Meanwhile, an object of the present invention is to transmit a first distance measurement radio signal including a distance measurement request message to an external device module by a short range wireless communication method, and for the first distance measurement from the device module according to the distance request message. Receiving an intensity value of the radio signal and a second distance measuring radio signal, calculating an intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal, and calculating an intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal and a second distance measuring radio signal Calculating a distance from the device module by using the intensity value of the method, and displaying the calculated distance from the device module based on the calculated distance value, or indicating a relative position of the device module. It can be achieved by providing a distance measuring method using wireless communication.

The user may select at least one device module requiring distance measurement from among a plurality of paired device modules before transmitting the first distance measuring radio signal to the external device module.

In the calculating of the distance, when the distance measurement request message is repeated a plurality of times, the average value is calculated by averaging the intensity values of the first distance measuring radio signal and the second distance measuring radio signal, and calculating the average value. Calculating a plurality of average values for each time, calculating a plurality of average values as a cumulative average value over time, calculating a reference average value and a comparative average value, and comparing the reference average value and the comparative average value with the error of the distance value calculated. Characterized in that it comprises a step of correcting.

The device module may further include transmitting a control message to inform the user of the location of the device module by at least one of vibration, sound, and light emission according to the received message.

According to the present invention as described above, the distance is measured first by using the strength value of the radio wave signal of Bluetooth, and the distance measurement is corrected in consideration of the response time, thereby making it possible to perform more precise distance measurement.

Further, according to the present invention, the device module can be miniaturized and can be supplied at a lower cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to further the understanding of the technical idea of the invention, It should not be construed as limited.
1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the device module 100 and the terminal 200 according to the present invention,
2 is a view for improving the accuracy of the distance measurement according to the present invention,
3 is a view showing a distance measuring method according to the present invention,
4 and 5 show a first and a second embodiment according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the embodiment described below does not unduly limit the content of the present invention described in the claims, and the entire structure described in this embodiment is not necessarily essential as the solution means of the present invention.

<Configuration of Distance Measuring Device Using Near Field Communication>

The present invention is a device for measuring the distance and direction between the device module a certain distance away from the terminal by a round trip according to the distance measurement request message of the terminal using a short-range wireless communication method. In order to measure the distance between the device module and the terminal, the present invention uses a distance measuring radio signal, that is, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator), and calculates the response time of the device module for more precise distance measurement. Distance value calculated by the intensity value of the wireless radio signal). Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail the configuration of the distance measuring apparatus using a short-range wireless communication method according to the present invention.

(Device module)

The device module 100 may be spaced apart from the terminal 200 to be described later. The device module 100 may be a wearable device worn on a human body, such as a wrist, or a device (for example, a key ring) fastened to a bag or an object carried by a person, as described in the following embodiments. Although the device module 100 and the terminal 200 preferably use a Bluetooth communication method, it is obvious that a short range wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi may be used if necessary.

The receiving unit 110 of the device module 100 receives the distance measurement request message of the terminal 200 as shown in Fig. 1 by the Bluetooth communication method, and the device module 100 that receives the distance measurement request message is a terminal ( The intensity value (signal sensitivity measurement) of the distance-measuring radio signal transmitted by 200. The intensity value of the distance-measuring radio signal may be the intensity value of the radio wave signal of the above-described distance measurement request message. The message may include an ID of the device module 100, a distance request request command, or a control command to inform the current location of the device module so that a user can easily identify the current location of the device module. The current location may transmit the location to the user by implementing vibration, sound, light emission, etc. through the location notification unit 140. To implement vibration A vibration actuator may be provided, and a speaker may be added to implement sound, and an LED may be provided to emit light, and the wearable device may be worn in a watch form, for example, on a wrist interlocked with a smartphone. If the device module is provided with an LCD (liquid crystal) or a text display device, the distance to the terminal may be continuously displayed.

The control unit 120 calculates a radio wave intensity value of the distance measuring radio signal transmitted by the terminal 200 and transmits a distance measurement response message corresponding to the distance measurement request message of the terminal to the terminal through the transmitter 130. do. The distance measurement response message includes the intensity value of the radio wave signal transmitted from the terminal calculated by the controller 120, and together with the transmission unit 130 of the device module, transmits the distance measurement radio signal to the terminal via Bluetooth. . That is, when the device module 100 receives the distance measurement request message from the terminal, the device module 100 transmits the calculated intensity value of the radio wave signal of the terminal and transmits the distance measurement wireless signal to the terminal in a Bluetooth manner. Therefore, as described below, the terminal averages two values of the strength of the radio wave signal received by the device module from the terminal and the strength value of the radio wave signal received by the terminal from the device module in order to make the distance measurement more accurate. Calculate

In this case, the distance measurement request message or the distance measurement response message may be a distance measurement radio signal, or as another example, the distance measurement request message or the response message and the distance measurement radio signal may be separated from each other and sequentially transmitted to the device module or the terminal. However, in the present invention, for the convenience of description, the response or request message will be described as regarded as a distance measuring radio signal including a response or request command.

The above-described transmitter and receiver may be embodied by an antenna capable of transmitting short-range wireless communication including Bluetooth. In addition, the transmitter may include a plurality of directional antennas in order to determine the location of the device module in more detail by measuring the direction as well as measuring the distance between the terminal and the device module.

The controller 120 may be implemented by digital and analog circuits capable of analyzing a control command from a terminal, performing numerical calculation, and controlling peripheral circuits, and may be configured as a module.

In order to compensate for the distance measurement according to the strength of the radio signal, the device module 100 may receive the distance measurement request message from the terminal 200 a plurality of times, and thus the distance measurement response message corresponding to the distance measurement request message may be received. Will be sent to the terminal. At this time, the distance measuring radio signal received from the terminal may be sequentially received by the receiving unit the same distance measurement radio signal by the diffraction of the radio wave. Therefore, in the present invention, it is preferable to use the first signal (or intensity value of the first wireless signal for distance measurement) which is sequentially input from the distance measuring radio signal sequentially received by diffraction or the like as a valid signal (strength value).

The device module 100 described above may be a wearable device (for example, a watch or glasses), an independent device module attached to a user's thing (for example, a bag or a travel bag), or the like. It can be implemented as a separate type of device module (for example, a key ring) that can be used in combination with the human body.

(terminal)

Terminal 200 according to the present invention is a device for displaying the distance from the device module 100 by interlocking with the above-described device module 100 is generally implemented as a smart phone that can be installed (Application) As another example, it may be implemented as a terminal dedicated to distance measurement.

The terminal 200 first attempts pairing with surrounding terminals when distance measurement with the device module 100 is required. In this case, it is assumed that the terminal and the device module use the Bluetooth method, and the distance measurement with the device selected by the user among the paired devices will be described. However, distance measurement with all paired device modules may be sequentially measured according to a predetermined priority between the terminal and the plurality of device modules.

When paired with the peripheral device module, an input window for allowing a user to select the device module 100 requiring distance measurement may be displayed. When any one device module 100 is selected, the terminal 200 transmits a distance measurement request message to the selected device module 100 through the transmitter 210 antenna. The terminal drives the counter 240 to calculate a response time of the device module 100 when the distance request message is transmitted to the device module. The counter 240 counts the clock in conjunction with the transmission of the distance measurement request message and calculates a response time by itself, or the response time may be calculated by the controller 230.

The device module 100 receiving the ranging request message transmits the ranging response message to the terminal in response to the ranging request message. That is, the device module receiving the distance request message calculates the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal received from the terminal and transmits the value as a distance measurement response message. The ranging response message responded by the device module includes the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the terminal. In addition, the distance measurement response message of the device module is received by the receiver 220 of the terminal, the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the device module is calculated by the controller 230 of the terminal. Accordingly, in the present invention, the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal is used to calculate the distance between the terminal and the device module, wherein the strength value of the radio signal transmitted from the terminal to the device module and the strength of the radio signal transmitted from the device module to the terminal Use a round trip method that uses both values. The round trip means transmitting the ranging response message in response to the ranging request message as described above, and using the strength value of the radio signal of each message.

The controller 230 of the terminal 200 extracts the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the terminal included in the distance measurement response message, and also calculates the strength value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the device module. Therefore, the controller 230 calculates an average value by summing the intensity value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the terminal and the intensity value of the Bluetooth radio signal of the device module. Therefore, the distance measurement error can be reduced by using the intensity value of the radio wave signal in both directions rather than using the intensity value of the radio wave signal in one direction. However, the present invention uses a variety of methods to reduce the distance measurement error in addition to the strength value of the radio wave signal as follows.

(Wireless radio signal strength value error correction method)

As shown in FIG. 2, assuming that the device module 100 moves a given moving path 10 for a predetermined time t, the terminal 200 and the device module 100 may reduce the error of the radio wave strength. The two send and receive a distance request message and a response message to each other a plurality of times within a predetermined time t1. In this case, when the device module 100 or the terminal 200 receives each radio wave signal from the counterpart, the device module 100 or the terminal 200 calculates a strength value using the radio wave signal first received. This is because there may be cases where the same radio wave signal is received twice by diffraction of radio waves or various radio wave environments. For example, the terminal 200 exchanges a distance measurement request message and a response message with the first device module 100a to the fifth device module 100e over five times during t1 time. Accordingly, the controller 230 derives an average value for each time and adds the average value for each time to calculate a total of five first final average values. In addition, the terminal 200 transmits and receives a distance measurement request message and a response message with the second device module 100b to the sixth device module 100f during the same t2 time, and the total value is calculated by averaging as described above. The second final average value of five times is calculated. Therefore, when the second final average value is larger than the first final average value, the controller 230 determines that the device module 100 is approaching the terminal 200 and vice versa. Accordingly, the distance between the terminal and the device module for each final average value can be known by comparing the first average values of the first average values with the lookup tables previously stored in the database 270. I can display it.

As another example of reducing the distance measurement error in addition to the intensity value of the radio wave signal, there may be an average response time using the counter unit 240. That is, the terminal 200 counts the time by operating the counter unit 240 when transmitting the distance measurement request message, and counts the counter when the distance measurement response message is received from the device module 100 in response to the distance measurement request message. The control unit 230 or the counter 240 calculates the final response time. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, the response time may also calculate the first, second, ... n final average values five times in total. Accordingly, by comparing the final average value of each response time with the lookup table previously stored in the database 270, the distance between the terminal and the device module for each final average value may be known and displayed on the position display unit 250. . In addition, by comparing the final response average value of the first, ... 5 device module (100a, ... 100e) and the final response average value of the second, ... 6 device module (100b, ... 100f) device It may be known whether the module 100 is far from or close to the terminal 200 to compensate for the reliability of each average value.

The location display unit 250 may be embodied as a touch screen of a smartphone to display the location and direction of the device module as text or an image, or a speaker unit for notifying the user of the location and direction.

The database 270 may be implemented as a storage device of the terminal 200 or may be a server externally connected to the terminal 200 by a predetermined communication method. The database 270 stores various distance values according to the strength of the radio wave signal between the terminal and the device module, and also stores the distance values according to the response time.

<Distance measurement method using short range wireless communication method>

Distance measuring method according to the present invention will be described through the operation of the application installed in the smart phone with reference to FIG.

First, the terminal 200 attempts to pair with the surrounding device module 100 (S10). When pairing is attempted, it is paired with different device modules 100, and at this time, the user selects the device module 100 requiring distance measurement using the touch screen 270 (S20). However, all of the device modules 100 paired with Bluetooth may be selected when distance measurement is required.

When the selection of the device is completed, the terminal 200 sequentially transmits the distance measurement request message to each device module 100. At this time, when the distance measurement request message is transmitted, the counter unit 240 operates to count the time. The device module 100 receiving the distance measurement request message from the terminal measures the radio wave signal strength value of the distance measurement request message of the terminal (S30). The device module 100 transmits a ranging response message to the terminal together with the measured intensity value of the radio wave signal.

The terminal 200 measures the propagation intensity value of the ranging response message, and calculates the response time by stopping the time count when receiving the ranging response message (S50, S60). The terminal calculates and corrects the distance and direction with respect to the device module by using the propagation intensity value and the response time by the round trip method (S70 and S80).

The calculated distance and direction may be displayed on the touch screen of the terminal or provide a notification sound to the user through the speaker unit.

(Example 1)

A first embodiment for measuring the distance between the terminal and the device module may be a baggage distance measurement such as an airport. That is, the user using the airport should find his travel bag 20 coming out of the conveyor belt at the destination. At this time, if the device module 100 according to the present invention is attached to the travel bag 20, the user can measure the distance through the pairing between his smartphone and the device module attached to the travel bag, the measured distance You can easily find your luggage by displaying it on your smartphone.

(Example 2)

As shown in FIG. 4, the second embodiment of the present invention can measure the distance and direction between the guide 30 for guiding the travelers and the plurality of travelers 35a to 35e. That is, the device module 100 using Bluetooth according to the present invention can be attached to a wrist or a travel bag of a plurality of travelers and the guide accurately measures the location of the traveler by measuring the distance and direction of each traveler with his smartphone. Able to know.

As shown in FIG. 4, the application of the smartphone calculates the location of each traveler and displays it on the guide's smartphone. In particular, the distance between the travelers 35a, 35b, and 35c located within the safety distance 31 and the dangerous distance ( The travelers 35d and 25e located in 32 may be distinguished and displayed. At this time, the guide 30 may make a call for the travelers 35d and 35e that are out of the dangerous distance, and thus may improve the safety of the travelers.

(Example 3)

As shown in FIG. 5, the third embodiment of the present invention can measure the distance between the wearable device and the smart phone. A wearable device that has recently been in the spotlight may be, for example, smart glasses or a smart watch, and the smart watch is interlocked with the smart phone according to the present invention, and in particular, a Bluetooth device is already provided. The smart watch is embodied as a device module according to the present invention and the application according to the present invention is installed in a smartphone.

The user often encounters a case where it is difficult to find where the smart watch is located in his or her home or office. At this time, the user conveniently measures the distance along the moving path 45 and informs the user as shown in FIG. 5. Can be found. When the distance between the smart phone and the smart watch is getting closer, the smart phone can make a sound through the speaker unit or continuously display the distance. In this case, when the sound is generated, the interval between the smart phone and the smart watch is getting closer, and the period of the sound may be continuously shortened. On the contrary, when the distance is far from the smart phone, the period of the notification sound is continuously lengthened. I can tell you.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment thereof, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and applications are possible. In other words, those skilled in the art can easily understand that many variations are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

10: movement path
20: travel bag
30: Guide
31: safety distance zone
32: danger zone
35a: Traveler 1
35b: Traveler 2
35c: Traveler 3
35d: Traveler 4
35e: Traveler 5
40: smart watch
45: movement path
100: device module
100a: first device module
100b: second device module
100c: third device module
100d: fourth device module
100e: fifth device module
100f: sixth device module
110:
120:
130: transmitter
140: location notification unit
200: terminal
210:
220: receiver
230:
240: counter unit
250: location display unit
260: Input unit
270: database

Claims (13)

Receiving unit for receiving the first distance measurement radio signal including the distance measurement request message from the external device by a near field communication method,
A control unit for calculating an intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal, and
And a transmitter configured to transmit a strength value of the first distance measuring radio signal and a second distance measuring wireless signal to the external device in response to the distance measuring request message. Device module.
The method of claim 1,
The transmitting unit has an antenna unit for radiating radio waves,
The antenna unit includes at least one antenna of a directional antenna and a non-directional antenna,
The directional antenna is provided with at least a plurality of distance measurement by using a short-range wireless communication characterized in that the external device can calculate the distance and direction by radiating the radio wave to the external device corresponding to the distance measurement request message of the external device. Device module.
The method of claim 1,
Receive a distance measurement request message from the external device a plurality of times, and transmits the strength value of the first distance measurement radio signal and the second distance measurement radio signal corresponding to the number of the distance measurement request message. A device module for distance measurement using short-range wireless communication.
The method of claim 1,
The device module for distance measurement using short-range wireless communication according to the message transmitted from the external device to inform the user of the location of the device module by at least one of vibration, sound, and light emission.
The method of claim 1,
And a strength value of the first distance measuring wireless signal first received from the receiving unit among the first distance measuring wireless signals received from the receiving unit.
A transmitter for transmitting a first distance measuring radio signal including a distance measurement request message to a external device module by a short range wireless communication method;
A receiving unit receiving the strength value of the first distance measuring radio signal and the second distance measuring radio signal from the device module in response to the distance measurement request message;
A control unit for calculating an intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal and calculating a distance from the device module using an intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal and an intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal; Distance measuring terminal using a short-range wireless communication comprising a.
The method according to claim 6,
The transmitting unit,
Transmit the distance measurement request message to the device module a plurality of times;
The control unit,
Calculating an average value by averaging intensity values of the first distance measuring radio signal and intensity values of the second distance measuring radio signal, and correcting the distance from the device module by the respective average values corresponding to the plurality of times. Distance measuring terminal using a short-range wireless communication, characterized in that.
The method according to claim 6,
And a counter unit for calculating a response time of the device module to the distance request message,
The distance measuring terminal using short-range wireless communication, characterized in that for correcting the distance value with the device module according to the response time value of the counter.
The method according to claim 6,
The distance measuring terminal using short-range wireless communication, characterized in that for using the intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal first received from the device module of the second distance measuring radio wave signal received from the device module.
The method according to claim 6,
And a display unit configured to display a calculated distance with the device module or to display a relative position of the device module.
Transmitting a first ranging wireless signal including a ranging request message to an external device module by a short range wireless communication method;
Receiving an intensity value of the first ranging wireless signal and a second ranging wireless signal from the device module according to the ranging request message;
Calculating an intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal and calculating a distance from the device module by using an intensity value of the first distance measuring radio signal and an intensity value of the second distance measuring radio signal; , And
And displaying the calculated distance with the device module based on the calculated distance value, or displaying the relative position of the device module.
The method of claim 11,
A distance using short-range wireless communication, wherein the user selects at least one device module requiring distance measurement from among the plurality of paired device modules before transmitting the first distance measuring radio signal to an external device module. How to measure.
The method of claim 11,
Wherein the calculating the distance comprises:
If the distance measurement request message is repeated a plurality of times,
Calculating an average value by averaging intensity values of the first distance measuring radio signal and intensity values of the second distance measuring radio signal, and calculating a plurality of average values for each of a plurality of times;
Calculating a plurality of average values as a cumulative average value over time to calculate a reference average value and a comparative average value,
Compensating for the error of the distance value calculated by comparing the reference average value and the comparison average value distance measurement method using short-range wireless communication.

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